[J Taylor]

My 3-1/2 month old lab/shepherd mix was placed on 5mg of prednisone for allergies as follows:
5 mg for five days
1/2 mg for five days
1/2 mg every other day for five days

Is it necessary to give 1/2 every other day for five days?
Can it be reduced to three days for four days, if not, please indicate why.

[Todd]

If this is the advice the vet gave you I would stick with it. When taking certain medications one must wean off of the medication to reduce or eliminate the withdrawl effects. It is basically like gradually weaning off of the medication gradually in a way that your body with accept getting off.

Here's an explanation for this specific drug from the web;

Adrenal suppression will occur if prednisone is taken for longer than 7 days. This will cause the body to lose the ability to synthesize natural corticosteroids, resulting in dependence on prednisone. For this reason, prednisone should not be abruptly stopped if taken for more than seven days, and instead, the dosage should be gradually reduced. This weaning process may be over a few days if the course of prednisone was short, but may take weeks or months if the patient had been on long-term treatment. Abrupt withdrawal may lead to an Addisonian crisis. For those on chronic therapy, alternate-day dosing may preserve adrenal function, thereby reducing side-effects.

Glucocorticoids act to feedback inhibit both the hypothalamus (decreasing Corticotropin-releasing hormone [CRH]) and corticotrophs in the anterior pituitary gland (decreasing the amount of Adrenocorticotropic hormone [ACTH]). For this reason exogenous glucocorticoid analogues down-regulate the body's ability to naturally produce glucocorticoids. This mechanism leads to dependence in a short time and can be very dangerous if medications are withdrawn too quickly. The body must have time to begin synthesis of CRH and ACTH and for the adrenal glands to begin functioning normally again.

So yes, I would follow the guidelines you were given.

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by J Taylor

My 3-1/2 month old lab/shepherd mix was placed on 5mg of prednisone for allergies as follows:
5 mg for five days
1/2 mg for five days
1/2 mg every other day for five days

Is it necessary to give 1/2 every other day for five days?
Can it be reduced to three days for four days, if not, please indicate why.

I hope this is not permanent!!? I hate prednisone! My mother had a Bichon Frise with bad allergies and was on this 'crap'--ended up dying because of too much dependency on it. The prednisone will not cure ---it only shuts down the immune system and masks the problem that is still there. It gives relief but at what price. I will prob. hear 'flack' from other members but this is 'my take' on the subject---I know what my mother's dog went through! I don't know if there is another solution to your dog's problem but am telling you this all because I hope you will try to find another answer! Maybe talk to a holistic vet!?

There are many different causes of many different allergies---some may not be able to get rid of but did you/vet try to figure out what may be causing the allergy and 'fix' the problem--not the cover-up prednisone but trying to get the dog away from whatever may be causing this allergy!!!--I am guessing that the Shepherd part of the mix is where the problem arises from---Going to give a couple links here that I hope you will check out.
Prednisone Side Effects in Dogs

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/prednisone-dosage.html

Blue Buffalo Dog food ---This is a long thread but please read it all and especially note the last page! If your dog has a hard time getting the proper nutrition---this could very well show up as causing allergies for several reasons.---Main one being a compromised immune system.

Another 'good read': http://www.i-love-dogs.com/forums/69816-post.html

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Corky/Max

I hope this is not permanent!!? I hate prednisone! My mother had a Bichon Frise with bad allergies and was on this 'crap'--ended up dying because of too much dependency on it. The prednisone will not cure ---it only shuts down the immune system and masks the problem that is still there. It gives relief but at what price. I will prob. hear 'flack' from other members but this is 'my take' on the subject---I know what my mother's dog went through! I don't know if there is another solution to your dog's problem but am telling you this all because I hope you will try to find another answer! Maybe talk to a holistic vet!?

There are many different causes of many different allergies---some may not be able to get rid of but did you/vet try to figure out what may be causing the allergy and 'fix' the problem--not the cover-up prednisone but trying to get the dog away from whatever may be causing this allergy!!!--I am guessing that the Shepherd part of the mix is where the problem arises from---Going to give a couple links here that I hope you will check out.
Prednisone Side Effects in Dogs

Prednisone Dosage - Use of Corticosteroids

Blue Buffalo Dog food ---This is a long thread but please read it all and especially note the last page! If your dog has a hard time getting the proper nutrition---this could very well show up as causing allergies for several reasons.---Main one being a compromised immune system.

Another 'good read': http://www.i-love-dogs.com/forums/69816-post.html

I doubt it is permanant because the OP is asking about how quickly to wean the dog off of them. I do agree with you though, there are better, safer options out there although we don't really know the back story here.